About the Nonprofit Center

Vision: All residents of Anne Arundel County enjoy good health and well-being.

Mission: To provide capacity-building support to 501(c)(3) nonprofits whose work advances health and wellness of county residents.
 

County Executive Pittman has always said that he judges the health of the county by the health of its residents. He has been an advocate for health and human services - even prior to the COVID pandemic - and envisions the new Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park to be the green heart of the county and a place for health, wellness, and healing. Because the Nonprofit Center will be housed at  41 Community Place - located at the edge of the Crownsville property - programs offered at the site will mirror the County Executive’s vision for the Park. 

Ensuring health and well-being among residents and communities is much broader than one might think, and the only way we can make a real and long-lasting impact is to advocate for and build environments that focus on the social determinants of health. 

Social Determinants of Health

What are Social Determinants of Health?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, social determinants of health are the “conditions in the environments where people are born, live, learn, work, play, worship, and age that affect a wide range of health, functioning, and quality-of-life outcomes and risks.” 

The idea to create the Nonprofit Center came about during the COVID pandemic. Nonprofit organizations have always provided critical services in the county, but the crisis highlighted the importance of their work. 

Anne Arundel County provided emergency funding to local nonprofits during the pandemic using federal funds. When those funds were depleted, the administration had to decide how to best address ongoing needs. The answer was to invest in the nonprofit organizations that fill those needs, through continuation of the Community Support Grant program and the creation of the Nonprofit Center.

The County Executive and County Council approved funding for capital improvements of the county building located at 41 Community Place in Crownsville in fiscal year 2023 and approved a small budget for operating expenses in fiscal year 2024. Since then, an Executive Director was appointed to oversee the development and implementation of the Center’s programming and renovation of the building.

The Nonprofit Center aims to empower nonprofits and enhance their capabilities to serve Anne Arundel County’s communities. The program is starting small and we are taking the time to pilot test each program and service - created in response to community input - to ensure that the benefits outweigh the cost of implementation. 

Over the next year, the Center’s staff will implement and evaluate training programs, research best practices, create networking opportunities, and compile resources to assist all county nonprofit organizations. At the same time, we are designing a physical space that will contribute to the success of tenant nonprofits and incubator participants.

Training and other professional development opportunities are offered based on input from over 100 nonprofit organizations that completed an interest survey in September 2023. View results here.